Ficus Watkinsiana

[Glenda]

Oops! My bad. That should read 10cm across the base above the root flare. Sorry!

Glenda

[Jerry Meislik]

Keep us posted. What a fun project.
Jerry

[Glenda]

Keep us posted. What a fun project.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry. It is a 'first' for me- experimenting like thisl Even if it doesn't work out so well, it will be worth it for the experience alone.

Glenda

[nealweb]

Hi, just a quick question from someone without too much ficus experience. I don't understand why you chopped the trunks down like that. I thought you would leave them with as much foliage as possible and let them grow rampantly until the trunks fuse and then cut them to work on branching etc. Wouldn't this have kept them growing and thickening faster and fused the trunks more quickly? Not questioning your judgment, you guys have more experience than i but just unsure about this. Does the chopping create a rejuvenation and massive regrowth perhaps?

[Glenda]

Hi, just a quick question from someone without too much ficus experience. I don't understand why you chopped the trunks down like that. I thought you would leave them with as much foliage as possible and let them grow rampantly until the trunks fuse and then cut them to work on branching etc. Wouldn't this have kept them growing and thickening faster and fused the trunks more quickly? Not questioning your judgment, you guys have more experience than i but just unsure about this. Does the chopping create a rejuvenation and massive regrowth perhaps?

I don't have any experience either - just doing what was suggested to me on this site. I guess it was easier to get them into a bunch chopped. Figs grow rampantly anyway. Like I said, this is just an experiment - I was going to throw them out.

[nealweb]

Yeah thats true, it would be easier to get them close, also as you had to chop some roots so its probably best to chop the top as well for balance. So now just warmth, lots of food and growth for a couple of years i guess I did a similar thing with some f, rubiginosa and just put them into the garden and dug them up every year to prune the roots and top as they really went berserk. They fused completely in 2 or 3 years i think it was. Good luck! Have fun

[Jamie]

chopping the tops down at different levels wont mater too much as the will regrow new leaders and branching, not that itt will probably matter to much at the moment as those new leaders and branches are just to put energy into the trunks, it will most likely need the branching chopped off once fused as they will most likely be in the wrong spot to give the right branching and trunk line.

i would also consider putting some sphagnum moss around the base of the trunk ontop of the soil, this will create more humidity and make the tree throw airial roots, this will help with taper

[Glenda]

Jamie,

Up here humidity is the least of my problems. I had to chop off heaps of arial roots to put the tape on. The trunk really has nice flare already, - probably 1.5 cm - even if the photos don't show it. But I will keep that in mind - they could be used for buttress roots perhaps?

Glenda

[Jamie]

Jamie,

Up here humidity is the least of my problems. I had to chop off heaps of arial roots to put the tape on. The trunk really has nice flare already, - probably 1.5 cm - even if the photos don't show it. But I will keep that in mind - they could be used for buttress roots perhaps?

Glenda

i know humidity isnt a problem, added humidity wont hurt either, i would of kept them on to give it better flare and taper, right now you have a 10cm trunk across with a minute flare, what you want is to add to that flare to give taper to the tree. airial roots will be a quicker way of doing this plus it will also help pump energy to the trunk

[Glenda]

I get it now, This is a huge learning curve for me. Thanks for all the advice. Will keep you posted.

I find with my other figs keeping them bunched close together on the bench keeps humidity high and they grow more roots than you can poke a sitck at

May be these will need more humidity now, especially as we are coming into our dry season.

Glenda

[craigw60]

Hi Glenda, chopping the trunks down low is a good move it will force the trees to shoot down low so you can use those branches as sacrifice branches to speed up the fusing and create some nice taper.
Craig